tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post6256453376622618311..comments2017-09-24T11:41:48.268-06:00Comments on Atheist Ethicist: Defending Real World Harms for Imaginary ReasonsAlonzo Fyfehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-77889610036436168052008-01-02T09:50:00.000-07:002008-01-02T09:50:00.000-07:00Actually, I do not share this assessment of Makari...Actually, I do not share this assessment of Makarios. I don't recall him being abusive and, though he comes at the issue with certain questionable assumptions, we all come to the issue with assumptions, and all of those assumptions should be questioned.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-49345184998681946402008-01-02T09:42:00.000-07:002008-01-02T09:42:00.000-07:00Miguel, I've written Makarios off as a troll a lon...Miguel, I've written Makarios off as a troll a long time ago. There's really only one way to deal with trolls, and that's to starve them. It's best not to reply to anything he has to say at any point, and eventually they'll get bored and leave. I regret posting this already, as it acknowledges his existance and will keep him around that much longer. :/ Just remember - never feed the trolls.Eneasznoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-83532158357474109492008-01-01T15:56:00.000-07:002008-01-01T15:56:00.000-07:00MakariosYou are, perhaps, unaware of the fact that...<B>Makarios</B><BR/><BR/>You are, perhaps, unaware of the fact that one of things we atheists have to put up with is the condescending and arrogant claim on the part of theists that our protests can be ignored because we have been psychologically damaged in some way.<BR/><BR/>Either we hate God because God did something we do not like (like killed our best friend when we were children or failed to provide us with a pony we really wanted), or we have a strong urge to do something God does not approve of and dismiss God in order to guiltlessly pursue our shameful desires, or some theist did harm to us causing us to hate all theists.<BR/><BR/>They do not even allow themselves to consider the possibility that the reason we are angry is not because of some psychological damage, but because of a very healthy psychological desire <I>to get these creeps to stop doing real-world harm to real-world people for reasons that are nothing but superstition and nonsense.</I><BR/><BR/>It is one thing to watch an innocent person suffering harm. It is another to see them suffer harm as a result of the harm-inflicter making claims about imaginary beings giving him imaginary instructions to inflict harm.<BR/><BR/>Anybody with a psychologically healthy desire to keep people from being needlessly killed or otherwise harmed is going to have a psychologically healthy drive to prevent people from needlessly killing or otherwise harming others for imaginary reasons.<BR/><BR/>Your statement may not have intentionally been an example of this type of condescending and arrogant put-down of atheists. However, I hope that you can see that there is little to distinguish it from one of these types of statements, even if not intentionally so.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-23296528508259131912008-01-01T09:32:00.000-07:002008-01-01T09:32:00.000-07:00Hmm. Look. I’ve been wanting to say what I said ...Hmm. Look. I’ve been wanting to say what I said (the apology) for a long, long time and this post was the closest I’ve come to where I thought it might fit. While, based on other comments of mine, you Alonzo, have no reason to view my concerns as genuine. Nevertheless, they were. Sorry if I’ve offended Miguel or anyone else’s sensibilities.Makarioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305052511095551483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-57599258135558791122008-01-01T00:15:00.000-07:002008-01-01T00:15:00.000-07:00Makarios' comments should be removed as pure spam ...Makarios' comments should be removed as pure spam - since they have absolutely nothing to do with the blog post topic. Feel free to delete this comment too as you're taking out the trash.<BR/><BR/>I can't believe the lame tactics some people are willing to use to distract arguments and criticism.Miguel Picancohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17903598951047377349noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-28457904704428938062007-12-31T14:18:00.000-07:002007-12-31T14:18:00.000-07:00Oh honey, I was just saying that I'm sorry that yo...Oh honey, I was just saying that I'm sorry that you had to take so much crap as a kid, from Christians. Remember? You've talked about it before? That's all I was saying. You're arguments in this post are fine. Rage away to your heart's content.Makarioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305052511095551483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-4536906260581751152007-12-31T11:23:00.000-07:002007-12-31T11:23:00.000-07:00MakariosWhile perhaps sincere, in this context you...Makarios<BR/><BR/>While perhaps sincere, in this context your comment commits an <I>ad hominem</I> fallacy - bringing up irrelevant facts about the author of an argument in order to dismiss the content of the argument. Nothing about my past changes the fact that the authors of this video are guilty of the moral failings that I have accused them of.<BR/><BR/>If my interpretation of their arguments is not correct, then perhaps you can provide a correct interpretation and explain why mine are in error. However, the relevant evidence in this case is to be found in their arguments, not in my personal history.<BR/><BR/>You're looking in the wrong spot.<BR/><BR/>Furthermore, I deny that my anger is directed at Christians. My anger is directed at those who are a threat to others unjustly - be they atheists (e.g., <A HREF="http://atheistethicist.blogspot.com/2007/12/connecticut-valley-atheists-imagine.html" REL="nofollow">Imagine: No Religion</A>) or theists.<BR/><BR/>I am particularly annoyed by smarmy self-righteous individuals who assert that they are masters of reason and tolerance while, in the same breath, using malicious deception and sophistry to market hate. A major problem in this culture is that people do not react to this type of moral irresponsibility with the venom it deserves, particularly given the level of harm it does.<BR/><BR/>To the degree that we can reduce that habit, on both sides of the religious debate, to that degree the world will be a better place.Alonzo Fyfehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05687777216426347054noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-12802156538728950542007-12-31T10:44:00.000-07:002007-12-31T10:44:00.000-07:00I saw the video too--and dismissed it as more of t...I saw the video too--and dismissed it as more of the same empty propaganda. It plainly struck a nerve with you. Your analysis dispatches it quite well, though with a bit more venom than typical.Doug Indeaphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16049465653137283724noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16594468.post-25509629607336859442007-12-31T10:20:00.000-07:002007-12-31T10:20:00.000-07:00What I find really sad, when I read your posts, is...What I find really sad, when I read your posts, is that you were hurt so badly by Christians when you were young. <BR/><BR/>I know, I know, I say hurtful things that I shouldn’t in my posts but I really do feel badly for you. It has set up such a high level of anger that it’s amazing that you are able to show the level of tolerance for Christianity that you do. The problem, one that is present to a great degree in my own life, is that anger causes us to put a spin on our arguments that isn’t entirely fair. Still, you write good stuff. Happy New Year.Makarioshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13305052511095551483noreply@blogger.com